volution. It is He which maketh wars to cease unto the ends of the earth: He breaketh the bow, and cutteth the pear in funder: He burneth the chariot in the fire *. 1. IT hath already been noticed, that, previous to this reign of grace, this kingdom of peace, the Lord had deftroyed Antichrift, and laid hold on, and chained the Dragon. These are the two grand fomenters of difcord, fetting each man's fword against his fellow, and raising diffention every where. These authors of discord being under restraint, a way is made for the Prince of Peace to come forth, and his olive branch can wave its benign influence on every fide. Here it may be proper to take a little notice of the prophecies which sweetly foretel this delightful fererenity, this pleafing state of things. 2. THE feventy-second Pfalm is faid to be made for Solomon; but tho' David might design it for his son Solomon, one greater than David defigned it to celebrate the peaceful reign of David's Lord as well asDavid's fon. In that bleffed time it is faid, The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills righteousness. He fhall judge the poor of the people, he shall fave the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppreffor. He shall come down like rain upon the grass, and like showers which water the earth. In his days the juft shall flourish; and there shall be abundance of peace fo long as the moon endureth. He shall have dominion * Psalm xlvi. 9. from from fea to fea, and from the river unto the ends of the They that dwell in the wilderness, shall bow down before him; and his enemies shall lick the duft. The kings of Tarshish, and of the isles, shall bring presents : the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts. Yea, all kings shall fall down before him; and all nations shall ferve him. Glorious period! welcome season !Surely, one greater than Solomon is spoken of here.To proceed: When Jehovah fets his tabernacle in Salem, and his dwelling place in Zion, then will he break the arrows of the bow, the shield, and the fword, and the battle. The ftout-hearted are spoiled, they have flept their fleep, and none of the men of war have found their hands. At thy rebuke, O God of Jacob, both the chariot and the horse are caft into a deep sleep ↑• 3. I PASS on to the evangelic prophet, as he is justly called. He tells us, that the mountain of the Lord's houfe, shall be established upon the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow to it. And he fball judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people; and it feems his rebuke fhall anfwer the defired end, for their di cord being ended, they shall beat their fwords into plough-fhares, and their spears inta pruning-hooks: nation fhall not rise up against nation, neither fhall they learn war any more. How charming is the found, and how perempt is the declaration. Hath the Lord fpoken + Pfalm lxxvi. 2---6. Pfalm lxxvii. 3---11. fpoken it? He hath, and he will surely make it good. May he haften his own work. To proceed. AFTER a description of darkness, anguish, and dise tress, the day dawns in the ninth chapter, and in confequence of the victory of the cross, triumphant joy breaks out, For thou haft broken the yoke of his burden and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Midian. And this breaking is by a fingular means: For every battle of the warrior is with confufed noife, and with garments rolled in blood, but this fhall be with burning, and fuel of fire. For unto us a child is born, unto us a fon is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder; and his name fhall be called, wonderfull, counsellor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, and the prince of peace. Of the increase of his government, there fhall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgement and with juftice, from hence forth for ever: the zeal of the Lord of Hofts will perform this. I have quoted this pasfage at full length, that it might explair. itself. Thus we fee, how from weakness he becomes ftrong, putting down all rule and authority under his feet, and bringing every thing in fubjection to himself. Ride on thou matchlefs conqueror! Gird thy fword upon thy thigh, in thy glory and in thy majefty, ride on victoriously until all are fubdued unto thy fovereign fway. I love to read the conquefts of the prince of G *Ifaiah ix. 1---8. peace peace, that he may take the prey from the mighty, and restore the lawful captive. 4. AGAIN, when he fets up his peaceful enfign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Ifrael and fhall gather together the diftreffsed of Judah, from the four corners of the earth. The envy of Ephraim fhall depart, and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off: Ephraim ball not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim.* The fame prince of peace, will fwallow up death in victory, and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces, and the rebuke of his people fhall be taken away from off all the earth: for the Lord hath spoken it. † In that triumphant day, speaking of the peace and glory of the church, Sing ye unto her, a vinyard of red wine, I the Lord do keep it, I will water it every moment; leaft any hurt it; I will keep it night and day. Fury is not in me; who would fet the briars and thorns against me in battle! I would go through them, I would burn them together. Or let him take hold of my strength, that he may make peace with me. ‡ Behold a king shall reign in righteoufnefs, and princes shall rule in judgment. And a man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempeft: as rivers of water in a dry place, as the fhadow of a great rock in a watery land. Then judgement fhall remain in the wilderness, and righteousness remain in the fruitful field. And the work of righteousness shall be peace, and the effect of righteousness, quietness Ifaiah xi. 12. 13. + Ibid xxv. 8. ‡ Ibid xxvii. 2-5. quietness and affurance for ever. And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in fure dwellings, and in quiet resting places. * 5. SUCH is the charming language of peace, when harmony and concord fhall reign, and the clamour of war fhall cease. The fame prophet still having an eye to the fame ferene ftate of things, goes on, Thou fhalt not fee a fierce people, a people of a deeper speech, than thou canst perceive; but it shall be near the city of our folemnities: thine eyes shall see Ferusalem, a quiet habitation, a tabernacle that shall not be taken down, nor one of the ftakes shall ever be removed, neither shall any of the cords be broken. But there the glorious Lord will be unto us a place of broad rivers and ftreams; wherein shall go no galley with oars, neither shall gallant fhip pass thereby. For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our King, he will fave us. t 6. No floating thunder, no fhips of war fhall terrify mankind, in the peaceful reign of Imanuel. No, fays he, In righteousness, shalt thou be established; thou fhalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear : and from terror for it shall not come nigh thee, ‡ It is added, Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wafting nor deftruction within thy borders; but thou shalt call thy walls falvation, and thy gates praife. The fun fhall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall G 2 Ifaiah xxxii. 1, 2, 16, 17, 18. † Isaiah xxiii. 19, 24 the |